Misery as more sewers collapse in town centre

Engineers from sewer company United Utilities are currently on site at two new sewer collapses at St David’s Road North close to its junction with St Leonard’s Road and also at Warwick Road.

Both locations have been the scene of previous problems but UU spokesman John Martin said the latest incidents were unrelated to those which happened in the same locations last year.

“At both locations, we are having to dig down to repair collapses on the sewer,” he said.

“Each job is expected to take around three weeks. The work is not related to what was carried out last year.

“It’s on a different section of pipe. Unfortunately we do suffer more issues in St Annes than other parts of the region, mostly due to the sandy ground conditions. We are very sorry for any inconvenience this work may cause.”

Traffic, including the number 17 bus, is being diverted away from St David’s Road North via St Patrick’s Road North while the work is carried out.

Ralph Murray, proprietor of the Launderama on St David’s Road North, said: “It just seems to be one thing after 
another along here.”

Speaking of the work on St David’s Road North, ward councillor Tony Ford said: “It seems a recurring problem in that area – perhaps the sewer company needs to take a longer view rather than just reacting to individual incidents.”

Latest in line of problems

In August this year, part of St Patrick’s Road South, leading to the entrance of Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club, was sectioned off while engineers from sewer company United Utilities (UU) repaired a damaged pipe. 
The work is close to the scene of other similar problems, including an incident on the Saturday of the last Open Championship held at Royal Lytham and St Annes in July 2012, when a hole appeared in nearby St Thomas Road and traffic had to be diverted. Sewer repair work has also been carried out close by in St Andrew’s Road South and Leamington Road over the last 18 months but UU say the incidents are not connected.